Naruto: Kunoichi Tales: Fishes and Bicycles
by Lady Phaith
Summary: He's the serious traditionalist. She's the bubbly youth. When Shingou Hiasori gets stuck with the same mission as Kinatsu Sao, chaos ensues. Naruto fanfic with original characters - Kunoichi Tales
1. Chapter 1 : Morning and Evening

**Fishes and Bicycles**

**Chapter One: Morning and Evening**

June's waking midsummer sun shone bright morning rays betwixt the dense oak forest encircling Konoha. The stern-faced Hokages, each of whom had been perpetually engraved across the mountain precipice, were first to be illuminated. Then, as the night's shadows shrank back into the cracks and crevices, did the light throw its white glare upon the village's decorative buildings and dusty roads. Elsewhere, in the distance, the birds began chirping joyfully for the day's arrival.

Stepping outside his eighteenth floor apartment, Shingou hastily wrapped the last bandage on his right arm and leapt upon the railing of his balcony, which itself was a useless addition to his home, offering only the view of another apartment complex across the street. Fortunately, his building was several stories higher than the other.

With balance and poise unnatural to any ordinary human, he casually walked up the outside wall. This extraordinary event was made possible by the ability to manipulate his chakra beneath his feet. Within a ninja village, such a feat was trivial. It required effort equivalent to walking down the street, and skill akin to riding a bike. Truly, chakra had the potential to accomplish much more astonishing things.

Upon reaching the level expanse of the roof, Shingou directed his attention to the main gates at the edge of the village several hundred meters away. It had been left open all day and night, a typical sight during peace times. This allowed shinobi to come and go with little delay, at all hours. A selected group of "capable" guards rotated the post, a scant reassurance of safety and security. Shingou had never been particularly fond of the arrangement. He found The Third, as well as his successor, The Fourth, far too trusting; to place the defense of Konoha in the hands of mere second-rate Chuunin was incredibly naïve. Alas, he had not come to the rooftop to muse on politics.

A group of springing black dots emerged from the forest beyond the village wall, pausing before the guardhouse, and then disappearing into the village. They were the surveillance squad sent out the previous day to gather information on the mission he would be completing that night.

His watch showed half past eight. They were running late. He scowled, having no respect for those unable to be on time. Such irresponsibility irked him.

Shin returned to his apartment. It was small, but spacious enough due to a lack of furniture. On the far end of the room, resting against the left wall, sat his bed. Scattered about the nearby table were numerous scrolls, parchments, and books—a ruse of a scene, as he had not touched the material for a week or more. Adjacent the door was his lock-box, a chest containing his more valuable items and tools. It was still open from earlier, a few kunai scattered on the floor around its base. He kicked it closed and brushed the weapons against the wall, moving over to the mirror on the door.

The reflection depicted a child, only twelve or so, with dark brown hair cut short around his soft, boyish face. His eyes, matching color to his hair, were large and deep, emitting a strange conflicting sense of childlike innocence and age-old wisdom, each battling for dominance within. His garb was nothing more than a pair of brown shorts and a gray T-shirt. In brief, he looked pathetically average without any striking qualities, just as he had intended.

Shingou exited into the hall, making for the staircase that led to the lobby several floors below. _Mushi_, a cafe across the street, had an amazing new apple flavored tea that would be perfect with his breakfast.

* * *

"Kinatsu-hime!" a voice cried, reverberating through long corridors and open rooms. The sound of pounding feet bounced spastically across the basement level, followed by a brief pause, and then again, "Kinatsu-hime!" 

In one room several feet away from the first, came forth a slight groan, a mumble, and then silence. The noise of footsteps headed for the source, quickly coming to a closet with the door slightly ajar. Inside, scarcely audible, was a slow, rhythmic breathing.

A hand wrenched the door open, flooding the tiny compartment with light. At first, there appeared to be nothing inside save a few mops and brooms. Suddenly, however, one such mop moved, sliding from the wall to the open hallway, uttering a dull thud upon hitting the floor.

"Kinatsu-hime, are you in there?" the voice questioned, his shadowy figure rising in front of the doorway.

"Ara… Wa…" replied the closet, momentarily shaking to life as a group of wrapped up sheets turned to face the intruder. A head of bright red hair and sleepy two sleepy green eyes popped out of the mess abruptly, resting on a half revealed elbow.

Standing upon the closet threshold was a young man, breathing heavily, hair a mess, distraught and frantic. Kinatsu squinted; he looked vaguely familiar.

"I'm sorry for waking you Kinatsu-hime, but it's seven in the evening! You have a mission briefing in half an hour! Your mother asked me to find you, and I searched and searched! I really did! Maybe you can still make it!" The man said, speaking far too quickly for a half-asleep person to understand.

Kinatsu made two rather pronounced blinks which conveyed neither understanding nor misunderstanding. She did appear to have gotten the general message though.

"Kinatsu-hime?" The man repeated, his voice quivering with worry.

"I'll be late-aru…" The girl said, her tone so flippant it was impossible to tell whether she meant the words as a statement or a question.

"Please hurry miss!" He urged, offering his hand to help her out. She stared at it blankly and he began to sweat with nervousness. Sure they were both shinobi, but wasn't it only polite to offer a hand? He suddenly questioned the action and considering withdrawing, but it was too late. She saved him the embarrassment by finally reaching up to receive his help, knocking over several more cleaning supplies as he pulled her into the hallway. Why she chose to sleep in such places was beyond him.

"Thank you, Niho-kun." She murmured, wiping the sleep from her eyes and yawning.

Niho suddenly felt his heart skip a beat. Standing before him was the Sao clan princess, speaking to him with such informal words! For a moment he felt they could have been close friends, or even something more. What would it be like to see her waking like this every morning, lying next to him in bed, hair slightly messy, and face still half-asleep?

She was, no doubt, beautiful. Her childlike innocence was accentuated by her petite figure and buoyant personality, yet she was still very much a woman. Her hourglass figure was surrounded by long red hair that fell to her waist and gave off a glossy shine. And her eyes were always full of life, dancing with curiosity and mischief. Because they were green she had exoticness unusual in the predominately blue-eyed Sao clan. From her mother she had inherited an envious bust, more noticeable in her loose evening robe than during her daytime outfits. Niho felt incredibly lucky to be standing there. It was a crime she was still only sixteen.

His own dirty thoughts made him turn red with shame. Fortunately she didn't appear to have noticed, and was already trudging off down the hall. He knew he had no chance with her. He was only a fairly average looking Chuunin with a mediocre mission completion record; not to mention he was a pushover shinobi. To think he could be with the prodigy—the most powerful Sao in the clan—was ludicrous.

He glanced over to her. She was picking up her pace down the hall, escalating from a jog, to a run, to a sprint on all fours. By the time she disappeared out the far hall door she was galloping like a horse.

Niho sighed. Unfortunately this reminded him that the princess was a loony, and didn't have much interest in men. She had been a loner since the Chuunin exams, spending most of her evening by herself in the library. Of course, she did have friends. Everyone in the village knew her. She was known for showing up out of nowhere and joining conversations with people she had never before spoken to. Or on a mission, to be found laughing with the enemy she was supposed to be killing. Yet, she never seemed to hang out with any one person, not even her teammates from her Genin years. It was impossible to tell why. What went on in her head was a mystery, a locked box full of secrets, and no person held the key.


	2. Chapter 2 : Meeting and Leaving

**Fishes and Bicycles**

**Chapter 2: Meeting and Leaving**

The door opened quietly, a group of men and women shuffling inside the Hokage's spacious meeting lounge. The room was circular with a glass window on the far side, wind whistling around its breadth in long shrieks. Against the left wall a large plant had been placed, against the right, a file cabinet. At the center sat an old rug, intricately patterned with Japanese caricatures. It had been a part of the room since The First's reign.

Directly across from the double doors was the Hokage's desk, behind which sat an old man. A thin wisp of smoke circled around his head, hardly noticeable in the dim light. His eyes were hidden behind the bill of a large red hat sitting low on his head. Dull scratching sounds emanated from a quill where he was signing a stack of papers. The atmosphere felt heavy enough to smother a flame.

The group of intruders each found a place to stand, forming a row of four, five, and two at the very front. They all wore dark clothing and masks across their lower face so that only the eyes were revealed. One man, apart from the rest, moved to the front of the room and stood beside the Hokage. His shinobi headband was engraved with a small symbol in the bottom corner, signifying a worker of Vein, Konoha's version of the CIA. A fresh wound on his cheek was patched with medical tape, the center of which was blotched with red stains. He was Sonzo, head of the surveillance team.

"Alright then, let's get this briefing started." The Sandaime growled, exhaling a large cloud of smoke. He leveled his wrinkled eyes on the group, a gaze worn with decades of shinobi experience. The smile usually creeping at the edges of his mouth had disappeared, pushed aside in the seriousness of the situation. His failing hair and short beard were cut jaggedly, giving him a considerable similarity to a lightning bolt. Despite his old age, the man still commanded an incredible respect from his subordinates. He was, during his first reign—and likely still was—the most powerful Kage on the continent. It seemed as if even the gods of nature acknowledged him, the wind outside the bay window quieting for his words.

"This mission is rank S. It is requested by the village, not a private individual. So, for those of you who do not already know, you will not be paid. Reimbursement, however, has been arranged." His dull gaze left no room for complaint among the men, and no such words came forth. The relative silence remained, and after a brief pause, he continued.

"In the South-East, approximately twenty leagues north of village A7, lies a trade-post settlement— your destination." A large map unraveled from the ceiling, draping in front of the window. Several places were marked with circles, dots, squares and triangles. "Sonzo and his platoon have already mapped the quickest route. Here," He pulled a long rod from the desk and tapped the map without looking. The point fell on Konoha, a large red dot with a yellow circle around it. He then snaked the rod down a dotted line to a small village near the ocean. "To here."

He took another long drag on the pipe, giving the men time to implant the information in their minds.

"Inside the compound are two of our Chuunin, captured two days ago while returning from a mission in A7: Rikkuzu Sutara and Ejojii Yigo."

The silence broke and a murmur swept through the men. A nearly inaudible curse floated from the back of the room.

"We haven't any concise information as to why they were captured. Traders in the area have been spreading rumors about a possible uprising against Konoha. Sonzo's information from today's surveillance mission gives some support to these rumors." The map retracted noisily, snapping the room back into silence. The Sandaime stood with his hands behind his back. "Thus, your mission is—"

The door opened suddenly, interrupting his speech. A few of the people turned their heads slightly, though most remained looking forward. At the back of the room the men adjusted their line to make room for another person. Whoever had come in was too short to be seen amongst the heads of the taller shinobi. Not missing a beat the Hokage continued his speech, though his voice now carried a noticeable agitation.

"Thus, your mission is to infiltrate the compound, suppress the militia within, and retrieve our men. I expect any documents to be brought back and turned in to Vein. Finally," he paused for emphasis, "before you leave, make sure that building is razed to the ground."

"Yes sir!" was the unanimous reply. The Hokage chuckled and walked to the front of his desk, a trail of smoke in his wake. He stopped in front of a sharp-eyed Jounin with messy hair and long black Kimono.

"Your captains for this mission are Hiasori, Shingou and Hyuuga, Hiysano. All of you will prioritize suppressing the rebels. Sonzo will be traveling with you until you reach the compound. His briefing will be given while you are on the move." The Sandaime turned and stared out his giant window, his hands clasped behind his back in a pensive manner. Then his voice rose and became invigorated. "Konoha's fire burns bright in each of you. Return home successful. Dismissed!"

"Yes sir, Hokage-sama!" They chanted back, taking a knee in respect; they then escaped the room in an erratic cacophony of _poofs!_

"Kinatsu!" The old man called out before the last ninja disappeared. At the very back of the room the Sao princess glanced up with a guilty grin. The Hokage never turned to face her. "Try not to be late to mission briefings anymore. Your father wouldn't like it if you were."

The girl giggled and socked herself in the head playfully. "Yes, I won't be, Hokage-sama-aruyo."

Then, in a _poof_, she too, disappeared.

* * *

The platoon had gathered outside the village gates. In all there were thirteen of them: two Jounin, ten Chuunin, and Sonzo, a Special Jounin.

The night was warm and bright, without a cloud in the sky to block the waxing moon. Had the wind died down the night may have been comfortable, but that was not the case. The wind came in strong gusts, changing direction spontaneously. Shingou had to yell to be heard, and even then the sound of his voice was muffled. Instead he opted to gesture the group into the nearby forest where the wind couldn't penetrate and he could be heard.

Everyone seemed to understand and they began to jog across the short green separating the village walls from the tree-line. Shingou noticed several other groups scattered around the outside of the wall. One was far off to the right, comprised of only four shinobi, three of whom were youngsters, the other a much older Jounin. Together they were a three-man-cell, a team formation given to all beginner ninja fresh out of the academy. It was the starting point of a person's life as a true shinobi, an age old tradition practiced since the village was established several decades ago. Shin felt a powerful wave of nostalgia rise in his chest, filling him with a peculiar sense of pride. He mentally wished them luck as his platoon passed.

In the other direction, close to the forest edge, huddled a group of masked figures. They were ANBU, the Hokage's personal body guards, assassination squad, and special unit. Only talented Chuunin and Jounin were accepted into their ranks, so they were widely respected in the village. Shingou himself had once been a captain in their organization, perhaps explanation for his domineering attitude—or, perhaps, the other way around.

He silently wondered what incredibly dangerous mission they could be involved in tonight, and then suddenly wondered about his own mission.

The Hokage had selected a large amount of powerful individuals, more so than he had expected. Generally this sort of mission would run close to three shinobi, but twelve? That number was particularly unsettling due to the nature of the Hokages to always select the minimum number of shinobi necessary to complete a mission. If his logic was correct, then it would mean they were expecting a fight with more than just rebellious farmers.

The moment the platoon moved into the shelter of the forest the wind became nothing more than a dull roar. Above their heads the treetops swayed to and fro; leafs and branches hissed in the mournful chorus of nature's music.

Night had already set in, and the forest was so dark they could not see their own feet. Shingou stopped at a tiny grove a short distance from were they entered. The rest of the platoon circled around him, chatting quietly amongst themselves about the impending events. Shingou waited without speaking, facing the direction of the village wall. Slowly, as if on cue, a flickering light flooded through the trees to illuminate their faces. High above their heads, giant bowls of fire were being ignited on the wall.

"Alright, everyone get out your equipment. I'd like to know what everyone's carrying." He said. The platoon quickly began to pull out their tools and arrange them in their hands. Shingou glanced over their things, mostly standard assortments of kunai, shuriken, wires, picks, tapes, and scrolls. However, one hand held nothing more than a canister and dirty blue book. His gaze rose to the smiling visage of a young red-headed Kunoichi. She had a strange outfit—a dark red shirt with some sort of exotic feathers around the neck and sleeves, and then a pair of pants with the front half cut off from the mid-thigh down, a cross between a skirt and jeans. She had weapon holsters but they were empty, and her belt didn't show any sign of other equipment.

"So, you're the Sao princess, hm?" He said, more to himself than to her. "Where is the rest of your equipment?"

"This is all of it Shin-sama-aru." She replied, apparently very pleased with herself. A nervous laughter trickled through the platoon. Shingou narrowed his eyes in disgust, bringing his face close to hers.

"And you intend to fight with just a book and a canister? Are you so good that you don't need any other weapons?"

The girl responded with a look of curiosity, as if she were completely ignoring his words and preoccupied with observing the details of his face. When she didn't reply Shingou raised his voice and barked, "Well?"

She blinked and brought her eyes back to his suddenly. "No-aru, the book is for reading; only the canister is for fighting."

Shingou watched her carefully. Her way of saying things was so nonchalant that even he was finding it difficult to distinguish between mockery and pure stupidity. Angry, he took the canister and dumped its contents into his palm. Three bundled blue scrolls with strange marking fell out. He turned them over a few times, but found nothing of significance on them. Scrolls were used to summon items and creatures, or more rarely, to seal things. It was likely that the secret to her weapons whereabouts lay in the contents of the scrolls. However, it was very odd for anyone other than a confident Jounin to ever be found without a kunai quickly available.

Shingou brought his voice low so the others couldn't hear. "Girl, you're either cocky or stupid. I don't play favorites here. Even I carry weapons. Do you think you're better than me? Are you above me? If you think that's all you need, then fine, take that risk. If not, you had better find some suitable weapons before we get to the compound." He turned away before she could give an answer, tossing the scrolls over his shoulder.

"Shinobi," he commanded, walking out of the circle so that he could see all of them. "We will be traveling in two groups. I will lead the first group. Hiysano-dono will lead the second."

Hiysano, a tall dark haired young man, placed a kunai in one of his pouches and stepped forward. He was a head taller than Shingou, and observed the remainder of the platoon—all Chuunin—with frighteningly white eyes. The eyes were a sign of his heritage, an obvious symbol of the Hyuuga clan. The noble clan had a powerful, envious bloodline. For when those great white eyes were activated, he could see into and through the world around him. Some people said the Hyuuga once made a pact with the gods to see the world through their eyes, and in exchange they gave sacrifices every month in a temple deep beneath the Hyuuga clan grounds.

Of course, that was just an old wives tale.

"We will travel five minutes apart. Sonzo will lead my group, give his briefing to us, and then wait for Hiysano's group and brief them. We will all rejoin at the compound." Shingou said, mentally picking out who he would take with him. This formation had been chosen as a precaution. They had no idea what might happen despite being in the relative safety of their own country. If their opponents could capture two Chuunin, they could just as easily spring a trap on his platoon. By dividing the group they had a much better chance of having backup only a short distance away, and if a trap was sprung, all of the platoon wouldn't be caught. This tactic was fairly standard, so explaining it to Chuunin level shinobi was unnecessary.

"Ameshii, Takami, Osuka, Chisato, Fom! You're in group one. The rest of you are with Hiysano." He called out, watching the group divide evenly. The members he had chosen was based more on personality than ability. All he really cared about was getting his group before Hiysano left him with the Sao girl. Something about her joyful personality really pissed him off.

Once the platoon had split he turned to Sonzo who was sitting by himself on the upturned roots of a giant oak. Somehow he was managing to scribble something on a scroll in the dim light. Unfortunately they had already wasted a lot of time and Shingou couldn't wait for him to finish.

"Sonzo!"

The surveillance captain glanced up, pale faced and surprised. He seemed strangely jittery for someone of his position. Shingou, however, didn't have time to wonder about that.

"Sonzo, are you ready?" He asked forcefully, cocking his head in annoyance.

"Ah, yes!" He replied quickly, scrambling to stash his scrolls in a pouch. "Follow me."

He took a few steps across the grove before leaping high into the treetops. Shingou gritted his teeth and followed at a sprint, behind him the rest of group one. Once at a desirable height some fifty meters up, they began to distance themselves from group two.

Shingou should have been taking this time to relax and think, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong with this mission.


End file.
